Though Goose barnacles are called mollusks, they are actually crustaceans. When in their natural habitat, they stick firmly to rocks and it’s only possible to unstick them by hand, by knocking them off with a sharp knife. Collecting goose barnacles carries a deadly risk: a person can slip on the stones that are covered with wet moss and algae, and fall. The pale-pink meat of this crustacean tastes like something between a lobster and an oyster. They’re eaten either steamed, boiled, or raw.

You have to basically pop the shell-like part off of the neck, and the inner muscle pulls right out. The flavor was somewhat similar to a clam, I suppose, but less chewy, and they were juicy with what was similar to the liquor of an oyster, but cleaner and less salty. Essentially, I’d say very clean, pure ocean flavor.